Ports, Adsp Mtcs: Court of Appeal further reduces sentence

The Central-Northern Tyrrhenian Sea Port System Authority will have to pay less than 1% of the original request

This morning, the Rome Court of Appeals issued its ruling regarding the complex dispute initiated by Grandi Lavori Fincosit SpA in a composition with creditors against the Port System Authority of the Central and Northern Tyrrhenian Sea. The case, of significant economic and strategic importance, stems from long-standing works and contractual relationships, and the opposing party has filed a total compensation claim of €209,757,859.46.

In the first instance, the Court had only partially upheld GLF's claims, ordering the Authority to pay approximately €1,705,815.08 plus interest, an amount already far lower than the original amount requested. With today's decision, the Court of Appeal—after carefully analyzing the parties' arguments—partially upheld GLF's first and seventh grounds of appeal, but also upheld the Authority's first cross-appeal, thus resulting in a further 20% reduction in the amount awarded in the first instance.

The total amount owed by the Authority now stands at €1,483,725.99 plus interest as specified in the ruling, i.e., less than 1% of the amount initially claimed by the opposing party.

This outcome, the Central-Northern Tyrrhenian Sea Port Authority states, "strengthens the position of Adsp Mtcs in several respects: financial, due to the significant reduction in the outlay compared to the initial request; legal, due to the Court of Appeal's recognition of the validity of some of the Authority's defense arguments; and institutional, as it demonstrates the Authority's ability to effectively protect its resources and operations.

For Special Commissioner Raffaele Latrofa, "The publication of this ruling represents an important and highly positive moment for our Authority. Reducing the disbursement to less than 1% of the amount initially requested by the opposing party signifies having conducted a solid and far-sighted defense. This result is not the result of chance, but of the commitment, preparation, and dedication of everyone who worked on this case: first and foremost our legal department, represented by attorneys Fabrizio Losco, Stefania Accardi, and Gabriella Giacomantonio, and the administrative and technical staff involved. My heartfelt thanks go to all of them."

"This demonstrates," he adds, "that even in the most complex and potentially burdensome situations for the Authority, professionalism and competence pay off. This success spurs us to face the coming challenges with determination, aware of our responsibility to manage public resources and ensure the smooth running of the port system of Civitavecchia, Fiumicino, and Gaeta. This ruling allows us to release set-aside funds that have frozen the budget for years and which can now be used for the development of the three ports."